Rediscovering Ginninderra:
Mr Levi Plummer
Born: 1821; Died: 1876; Married: Frances Ann [Gutteridge]
Levi Plummer was born in England in 1821, the fifth of nine children born to Thomas and Ann Plummer. Levi married a widow, Frances Ann Gutteridge (born 1815), becoming step-father to her daughter Mary Ann Gutteridge. Levi and Frances Ann were then to have three children of their own – William, Fanny (Francis), and (born later in Australia) Eliza (Elizabeth). The family of five migrated to Australia, arriving on the 'Admiral Lyons' on 15th September 1857.
On the shipping list Levi was described as 35, farm labourer, C of E, in good health, and coming from Whittlesea, Cambridge. His father, Thomas was deceased, and his mother Anne living at Whittlesea. Frances was 42, her father William and mother Ann living at Holme, Huntingdon. Both could read and write. They paid one pound for their passage. Mary Ann Gutteridge was 21, her father Thomas Newton deceased. She was also C of E, a housemaid, and could read and write. She paid ten shillings for her passage. The two youngsters were William Plummer age five and Fanny Plummer age one. Their young sister Elizabeth was born in Australia in 1860.
When they first arrived Levi took a job on the Sydney-Picton-Mittagong railway line. They arrived in Canberra about 1867. Selection of land in the Parish of Weetangera began in 1865 and in 1870-71 Levi selected land there. Most settlers at this time built solid slab structures. The family were industrious and were a valuable addition to the community. In 1873 Levi assisted Evan Cameron to re-erect at Weetangera (where his land adjoined the church site) the old methodist church from the Yass road at north Canberra
The Queanbeyan Age reported on Levi's accidental death in 1876:
We regret to state that on Tuesday evening an accident which resulted in death befell Mr Levi Plummer of Weetangera. Deceased was returning from the funeral of young Roffe and stopped for a while behind his companions. Presently the attention of his daughter, Mrs David Boon, who was in the company was directed back along the road where she saw that her father had been thrown from his horse. Her husband and others returned to him and found him unconscious and bleeding from the ear and nose. He was taken home a distance of ¼ mile and the doctor sent for. He never rallied and died at about eleven o'clock Wednesday night. An inquest was held and death was attributed to a fall from a horse inflicting injury to the head causing concussion of the brain.
[Queanbeyan Age 29 April 1886]
Of his children, son William Plummer also died in a tragic shooting accident in 1886. His step-daughter Mary Ann married David Boon in 1860. the two remaining daughters were not married until after Levi's passing. Fanny married Donald Murty and made a home and family with his at 'Gledeswood', and Eliza (Elizabeth) married neighbour Matthew Smith.
William Plummer and Amelia Smith were witnesses to the marriage at Weetangera Wesleyan Church of Matthew Smith and Eliza Plummer daughter of Levi Plummer and Frances Gutridge on 22.4.1879.[Register of Marriages Queanbeyan Methodist Church].
Donald Murty born Ginninderra NSW son of Michael Murty and Margaret Cameron, farmer, Ginninderra aged 24 married on 15.8.1877 at Wesleyan Church Weetangera Fanny Plummer daughter of Levi Plummer and Frances Guthridge, living at Weetangera aged 21. The witnesses were William Plummer and Agnes Murty. Rev John George Taylor officiated. [Register of Marriages Queanbeyan Methodist Church].
